Fountain pen with triplex writing point



Jan. 13, 1959 YASUO WATANABE 2,868,171

FOUNTAIN PEN w'ITH TRIPLEX WRITING POINT Filed Oct. 10, 1957 Mm wlllml w 1 1 Yasuo Wa/anabe INVENTOR.

UnitedStates Patent 2,868,171 FOUNTAIN PEN WITH TRIPLEX WRITING POINT Yasuo Watanabe, Kalaheo, Territory of Hawaii Application October 10, 1957, Serial No. 689,284

4 Claims. (Cl. 120-42.18)

The present invention relates to a fountain pen having a multipurpose writing head through the medium of which a user thereof has several selectively usable pen points at his disposal.

Briefly the invention has to do with a multipurpose writing means characterized by several selectively usable pen points having shank portions fixed together and adapter means fitted into the leading end of an ink containing barrel, said adapter means being capable of operatively removably supporting the respective shank portions in operative position relative to said leading end and having individual ink feeders projecting beyond said leading end and cooperatively associated with their respective pen points, and said pen points being disconnected and separated from each other by intervening slits by way of which ink may flow to said points.

Novelty is also predicated on theconstruction tated wherein the slits are straight, there being three slits progressively varying in gage so that the points, which are precision ground, may be poised and used for fine, medium and broad writing needs, and said feeders corre sponding to each other in length and cross-section and contiguously overlying their intended slits for a predetermined distance and terminating inwardly of the extremities of said points.

More specifically the essence of the invention has to do with a writing means or head such that it is applicable to the adapter means. This head comprises three individual fiat blades radiating from the axial center of said means, said blades being spaced circumferentially at equidistant positions, adjacent inner lengthwise edges of the shank portions being fixed together, and the inner edges of the blade portions being free of connection, spaced, and defining the aforementioned slits.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fountain pen constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exaggerated view in section and elevation taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the principal expedience and preferred embodiment and cooperative association;

Fig. 4 is a highly exaggerated front end view the purpose of which is to show the difference in the gage of the slits between the variously dimensioned or precision ground points; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the writing means, head or multipurpose unit as it is variously called.

Referring now to the drawing and first to Fig. 3 the numeral 6 designates the liquid ink containing barrel. As before stated this may be of any construction interiorly and exteriorly. The one shown will suffice for the 2 instant purposes. It is significant however to note that the leading or forward end at the left in Fig. 3 is preferably circularly formed and internally screw-threaded at 8 to accommodate the screw threads on the perimeter or periphery 10 of the adapter. The adapter in this instance is illustrated as taking the form of a plug which is of course fashioned so that it will fit into the threaded hole 8. The plug is denoted generally by the numeral 12 and the several equidistant circumferentially spaced radial slots are denoted by the numeral 14. All of these slots are the same in dimension and they converge and register at their inner axial ends. Projecting from the surface between the slots are several feeders 16 which are segmental in cross section as seen in the exaggerated view in Fig. 4 and have tapered or slanting terminal ends 18. This feeder-equipped plug or adapter serves as a mount and retainer for the novel writing head or means, also referred to as unit, and denoted generally or as an entity by the numeral 20. The experimental model has been constructed from several plates of metal each plate the same in thickness and length and these are designated as blades. Since in a general structural sense all of these fins or blades are the same in construction they are denoted by the same numeral 22. The inner attachable ends of the blades have substantially rectangular shank portions 24 and the inner lengthwise edges of these shank portions are welded or otherwise fixedly joined together to form a solid construction which ranges from the point 26 to the terminal ends 28. The inner edges of the blade portions (as distinguished from the shank portions), are not connected together but are rather separated in such a way that they define several slits. Each slit is of a different gage and the slit for fine writing is denoted in Fig. 4 by the numeral 30, the one for medium writing at 32 and the one for coarser or broad writing at 34. The gage of the slits is also conformable with the ground pen points or nibs. In other words the several nibs are ground to coordinate properly with the slits 30, 32 and 34 whereby to provide three selectively usable writing points. In actual practice two adjacent nibs are simultaneously pressed against the paper or other surface on which the writing is to be performed, just as would be the case with any two-prong or double nib pen. In other words, with this triple bladed construction several selectively usable writing points are had. The feeders 16 extend part way along the respective slits but terminate inwardly of the nibs as brought out in Fig. 2. It follows that the ink from the reservoir in the barrel is discharged by way of the slots 14 in the adapter into the channelways defined between the blades and under the forces present the ink is delivered to the particular writing point which is in use at the time.

Keeping in mind the problems of the manufacturer and particularly the economies which are matters of moment it is to be pointed out that the gage of the aforementioned slits is not an essential factor. That is to say the slits are primarily intended to function merely in carrying the ink to the selectively usable points at the writing end. Experience has shown that for this and other attending reasons, the three slits need not vary in gage as heretofore touched upon and for the same reason the individual gage of each slit does not have to conform with the comparable pen point or nib. That is to say precision grinding of the external surfaces of the nibs so that they are successfully usable in writing fine, medium and broad is of the essence regardless of the gage dimensions of the slits.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fountain pen through the medium of which a user thereof has several selectively usable writing points at his disposal comprising a barrel having a single liquid ink containing and delivering reservoir, a multipurpose writing means embodying several selectively usable pen points having shank portions fixed together, and adapter means fitted into the leading end of said reservoir, said adapter means being capable of operatively removably supporting the respective shank portions in operative position relative to said leading end and having individual ink feeders projecting beyond said leading end and cooperatively connected with their respective pen points, said pen points being disconnected and separated from each other by intervening slits by way of which ink may flow to said points, said slits being straight, there being three slits progressively varying in gage so that the points, which are precision ground, may be poised and used for fine, medium and broad writing needs, and said feeders corresponding to each other in length and cross-section and contiguously overlying their intended slits for a predetermined distance and terminating inwardly of the extremities of said points.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and said writing means comprising three individual flat blades radiating from the axial center of said means, said blades being 4 spaced circumferentially at equidistant positions, the entire lengthwise edges of the shank portions being-fixed together, and the inner lengthwise edges of the blade portions being free of connection, spaced apart and defining the aforementioned slits.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein said adapter has radial equidistant circumferentially spaced slots into which said shank portions are fitted and held.

4. A fountain pen comprising a barrel having a reservoir for liquid ink, and an adapter mounted in the leading end of said reservoir, said adapter comprising a plug having several radial ink slots communicating at their inner axial ends, the outwardly facing end of said plug having outwardly projecting circumferentially disposed ink-feeders and an insertable and removable pen point unit comprising three individual linearly straight flat blades radiating from the axial center of said means, said blades being spaced circumferentially at equidistant positions, the adjacent cooperating inner lengthwise edges of the shank port-ions being fixed together, and the inner lengthwise edges of the blade portions being free of connection, spaced, and defining the aforementioned slits.

References Citedin thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,270,035 Kuehn June 18, 1918 1,876,151 Sager a Sept. 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 252,782 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1948 

